$US40 Nexus 7 Dock from Asus to Start Shipping on Jan 10

The Nexus 7 tablet dock is set to become officially available on Jan 10, 2013, at least for consumers' orders coming from the United States, as recently indicated by B&H on its official site.

The long-delayed Nexus 7 accessory was initially brought into consumers' consciousness shortly after the Google 7-inch tablet was uncloaked last year, but B&H only advertised its formal release in December 2012.

Now the long wait is over for Nexus tablet owners who have been waiting to get hold of the Asus-manufactured dock that allows the connection of other devices through its microUSB connector and 3.5 audio out jack.

For $US40, the Asus dock, thanks to its three-pin Pogo connectors, will provide separate data transmission and charging capabilities to Nexus 7 owners, plus the likelihood of attaching an external speaker to the tablet while it rests on the dock.

The functions and features that Google and Asus have generously deployed with the Nexus 7 will enjoy more premium with the companion dock, among them a more relaxed way of watching HD movies with the tablet that has garnered huge global attention both for its superb specs and affordable price.

A check on Google Play store showed that the 16GB Nexus 7 still sells for $US200, which is a steal considering the hardware attributes and the stock JellyBean version by Google that the slate is released with.

Incidentally, the tablet appears on stock now, according to Droid-Life, and is ready for buyers willing to wait from 7 to 14 days of delivery time at the maximum.

It is definitely good news for Android fans to learn that Google and Asus are stocking up on Nexus 7 inventory, but it would have been a lot better, UberGizmo noted, if its companion dock will be sold alongside (or offered as a package, maybe) via Google Play.

The Asus dock, after all, is touted as a Nexus 7 accessory officially sanctioned by Google.